WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $1,574,898 in federal funding for Seven Hills Food Company in Lynchburg to expand processing, address capacity limitations, add new value-added products to the plant, and support the addition of a farmer liaison to coordinate expanded production. The funding is possible thanks to the American Rescue Plan, which both senators voted for and passed in the Senate by one vote.

“By investing in local farmers and producers, we can strengthen our food supply chains, lower food costs for Virginians, and create a more sustainable local economy,“ said the Senators. “We’re glad to help secure this funding to enable Seven Hills to increase their processing capacity and help connect local producers to consumers.”

The investment is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Local Meat Capacity Grant program, which supports independently owned meat and poultry processing businesses with grant funds to provide more and better processing options for local livestock producers by modernizing, increasing, diversifying, and decentralizing meat and poultry processing capacity.  

Last year, Kaine met with farmers in Unionville, Verona, and Fishersville to discuss challenges they’re facing. He also met, alongside USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh, with underserved farmers and producers in Harrisonburg who benefited from USDA’s distressed borrowers program, which was created through the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act, which both senators voted for and also passed in the Senate by one vote.

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